This invention relates generally to panel wall systems and glazing means for such systems, but particularly to structural members to facilitate the erection and support of panels of glazing in such walls.
Heretofore, wall systems made up of structural members to support and frame panels of any of the veneer, pressed wood or plaster sheets have been erected with complicated members which require a fairly high level of experience to erect and which entails considerable expense in the manufacture and in the installation. The objections raised to such prior wall systems presents a challenge to those skilled in this art. This challenge has been partially met by the improvements set out in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,629,984, granted Dec. 28, 1971. The present invention embodies several unique improvements over my prior patent in that the systems allows greater versatility in wall or partition layup, and employs structural member which have several different uses, thereby extending the range of applications of the system with minimum cost.
The general character of a panel wall system having the strength and sound reducing advantages of double thickness panels requires floor supports, vertically directed structural members of the improved character hereof, and panels set in and supported by the vertical members. When the panels reach up to a ceiling, then there is a ceiling support vertically aligned with the floor support. In addition to the supports and structural members, when the panels are to be replaced by glass, the usual system is provided with special framing members which must be made compatible with the channels and studs. As far as I am aware the prior wall systems do not have universally adaptable members that are capable of use either for erecting a double panel wall or for a glass panel in such a double panel wall. The prior systems generally require additional members of complicated form which increases the expense of the wall system and requires erection training to accomplish its purposes.
In contrast to the prior art, this invention has as its principal object the provision of a structural member for a wall system of the foregoing character which is useful without change for supporting panels and glazing, whereby fewer parts are necessary and cost savings may be realized.
It is also an object to provide structural members interchangeably useful in the erection of double panel walls and also useful in the installation of glass in walls.
It is another object of this invention to provide a family of structural members for the erection of walls formed of either full height or partial height panels, in which the members cooperate to make it extremely simple to fit the members and panels in assembly.
In one presently preferred embodiment of this invention a structural member for wall panel or glazing systems comprises a plastic or metallic body providing a pair of side by side inner channels spaced apart by a median rib, a pair of outer channels, one on the outside of each of said inner channels, so that there is a common support between an inner and an outer channel, base walls on said body closing one end of each of said inner channels, and exposed face walls on said body closing one end of each of said outer channels, said base walls and face walls being spaced apart such that the inner channels open in a direction opposite to the outer channels.
Another embodiment is found in the interchangeable use of a structural member as a support of low partition walls and as a substitute for certain panels in a full height wall system, all as is set forth in the following specification.